Hill development by Earth architecture

International Journal of the Physical Sciences Vol. 6(6), pp. 1249-1256, 18 March, 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/IJPS DOI: 10.5897/IJPS11.026 ISSN 1992 -1950 ©2011 Academic Journals Review Hill development by Earth architecture Hamed Niroumand 1 *, Maslina Jamil 1 and M. F. M. Zain 2 1 Department of architecture, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia. 2 Faculty of Engineering, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia. Accepted 17 January, 2011 The aim of this paper is to find better knowledge for earth architecture’s applications as a sustainable architecture. Earth architecture is a research devoted to the architectural uses in shaping the environment of human kind related to human ecology. Earth architecture includes vernacular and historical architecture drawn from many cultures and periods in different countries. Hills to make artificial mounts or bermed enclosures seems to have been one of the nearest styles of creating architectural that propose the ideas and concerns of builders. The paper discusses on the earth architecture based on few case studies in some countries. Key words: Mud architecture, hill, mount, sustainable, vernacular, Earth architecture. INTROUCTION Earth architecture is one of the most environmentally sound ways to build. It is a sustainable building method that substantially decreases dependence on cement, the production of which accounts for five per cent of man’s output (Gernot, 2006).Though earth is usually considered a primitive building material, it is estimated that half of the typical population still lives and works in earthen buildings. Many assume that earth is a fragile material ill- suited for large structures, but the samples cited above provide ample proof of the durability of earth architecture. Earth architecture makes a lot of sense, both environmentally and financially. Earth walls are usually thick, and provide effective thermal insulation, warding off the heat during the day and conserving the warmth during the nights. Earth buildings occupy a special place in humanity’s cultural consciousness and encourage a more intimate relationship between a community and the Earth. Rammed earth architecture is said to have originated in ancient Iran and China. Parts of the Great Wall of China were built using rammed mud. The oldest surviving specimens of earth architecture are found in the Middle East (ancient Mesopotamia). The Citadel of Bam *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. in Iran was a complete township made of earth that is at least 2000 years old that unfortunately much of it was destroyed in the Kerman earthquake of 2003, but the remnants testify to the consummate skill of the artisans who built it. Ever since mankind first congregated in villages almost 10,000 years ago, unbaked earth has been one of the principal building materials used in every continent. Over one third of the world’s population still lives in earth houses today. In ancient periods, unbaked earth was widely used in Iran, Mesopotamia and Egypt, while later on, Romans and then Muslims built in earth in Europe, Africa and the Middle East – as did the peoples of the Indus civilizations, Buddhist monks and Chinese emperors (Ronald, 2009). During the middle ages, construction in unbaked earth was practiced not only in Europe, but in North America by the Indians, in Mexico by Toltec and the Aztecs, and in the Andes by the Machida. Earth architecture has some application that this paper will present hills as earth architecture. HILLS What is a hill? Mounding the ground to create artificial hills or bermed

Hill development by Earth architecture

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